- Ana

Alaska Is...

      Alaska is the wind in my hair on top of a mountain, a feeling of accomplishment.  Alaska is the ocean waves lapping against the shore.  Alaska is a land of the natives, flaunting their culture, a land of hope and opportunities.  Alaska is a place that has changed my heart.  From the time I turned in my application to this very moment I feel as if the very fiber of my being has been warmed.  I love the feeling of Alaska.  The smell of the pines everywhere, the taste of the delicious food on top of a mountain.  All of these things and more are what have touched me.  Alaska is all of these things as well as the land of the midnight sun which guides our way and warms our hearts. 

Final Reflections

            When we loaded the buses, I have to admit, I was petrified.  I was leaving behind my best friends, my family, and my home.  I knew some of the feelings my peers also had towards me and I believed there would be a lot of drama.  But then, when we arrived here, I drank in the scenery, the fresh air, the experiences, and then the fright and the nervousness just faded away.  I started to have fun, and make new friends.  I started to come out of my shell and let the real me come out.  Alaska did all of this for me.  And I realized that life isn’t about the make up or the way your peers look at you.  It’s about how you look at yourself, and how you live your life to the fullest.